


be as gentle as I can

by liionne



Series: A thousand ways to meet [14]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dysfunctional Family, M/M, Mpreg, it's really minor though, some talk about abortion which might well be triggering idk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-28
Updated: 2013-09-28
Packaged: 2017-12-27 20:23:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/983213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liionne/pseuds/liionne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was nothing. It was a casual fling between a guy who'd just gotten out of a tough divorce and a guy whose self esteem was shot to ribbons despite the act he pulled. Bones - because he hadn't even known his name - left the crummy hotel room in the morning still wearing yesterday's clothes, and Jim Kirk wasn't surprised.</p><p>He was, however, surprised when he looked down at the little 3-minute pregnancy test a week or so later, and found that it was positive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	be as gentle as I can

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt I was sent by an anon on tumblr:
> 
> thousand ways prompt: strangers, jim and leonard, have 'anonymous' sex. jim's accidentally pregnant, and must track down the daddy. the two new parents awkwardly try to form a family for the sake of the baby. they bond over baby stuff: ultrasounds, cravings, kicks, swollen feet, ect. bonus if joanna is mentioned. fluffy! schmoop!
> 
> ~set in a verse where mpreg is maybe not normal, but not totally unheard of.

It was nothing. It was a casual fling between a guy who'd just gotten out of a tough divorce and a guy whose self esteem was shot to ribbons despite the act he pulled. Bones - because he hadn't even known his name - left the crummy hotel room in the morning still wearing yesterday's clothes, and Jim Kirk wasn't surprised.

He was, however, surprised when he looked down at the little 3-minute pregnancy test a week or so later, and found that it was positive.

He wasn't even sure he sure he knew the guy's name. All he could remember was that thick Georgian accent and the strong arms that held him against the wall and Bones, _Bones_ _Bones Bones_ over and over again until he broke.

He had to find him.

But first, a trip to the hospital; he was pretty sure that he was in shock.

~*~

Leonard woke with a splitting head ache and an 8 hour shift ahead of him. At least it was only 8 hours, he kept reminding himself. And he could always give himself a lovely jab to make himself feel better.

Or maybe not. It was his fault for getting himself into this state. Drinking himself half to death with a smashed photo of his soon-to-be ex-wife. He deserved the pain.

Christine gave him a raised-brow look when he staggered into med bay. He ignored her, and looked to his appointment list.

"You're pretty much free all day," Christine said, sidling up to his shoulder. "Good job too, I think."

"I've got an appointment in fifteen minutes, Chris, so I'm gonna head over to the Cons room." He gave her a sarcastic smile before he stepped away and walked down the hallway.

Christine might've been his best friend, but he really couldn't be dealing with her right now.

~*~

"Jim Kirk to Consulting Room 2, please."

The receptionist - Janice, he thought, but he couldn't really see that name tag - pointed over to the hallway just in front of him. Jim nodded, and went in the direction he was pointed.

He knocked twice on the door, before a gruff voice called, "Come on in."

When Jim did " _come on in_ ", he nearly had a fit.

He might've been pretty covered up now but he was still all tanned skin and strong arms, even if that accent wasn't as strong. A hand crept to his stomach, cradling the tiny baby that was really no more than a ball of cells at the time they stood there.

It was obvious that he remembered him too, by the look in his eyes, and the way he shifted almost uncomfortably. There was a colour to Jim's cheeks, but none to his.

That might soon change, though.

"I'm- I'm Doctor Leonard McCoy. What can I help you with, Jim?" The doctor - had he always been a doctor? - asked slowly, pronouncing each word carefully.

Did he remember his name or did he just read his patient history?

Had Jim even told him his name?

He had no idea.

"I- Well, I-"

How did he tell him? He'd thought he'd have ages to prepare a speech. He was going to have to improvise. He was good at improvising.

"Well, I'm, uh, pregnant. I think." Jim murmured.

Bones went pale.

"Alright." Bones nodded slowly. "We'll take a blood sample and, uh, see what comes up."

"Okay." Jim murmured.

He knew the procedure; he held his right arm out and let Leonard work.

"Do you- do you have any idea who the father is?" Bones asked, almost conversationally.

Jim nodded, pressing his lips into a thin line.

"Normally I have, like, ten different partners in a week, but, I've only- only slept with one person in about a month and-"

Sometimes, Jim rambled when he was nervous.

He took a deep breath, wringing his hands together. "It's yours."

Bones looked at him for a very long time. And then he sighed, half-filling the syringe with blood before he stepped away.

"You're my only patient today, so I'll get these blood tests done right away."

Jim doubted that was why he was really doing it.

"If you'd like to take a seat in the waiting room again."

Jim nodded, retreating with his eyes cast to the floor.

~*~

Leonard was slowly hitting his head against the wall, although the dull _thump thump thump_ ing wasn't really doing him any good. How could he be so stupid? He was a _doctor_. Doctors saw shit like this all the time, careless couples who dove straight in and never thought about protection. He used to laugh about those people. Now he was _one_ of those people.

Oh god.

He already had a daughter, and an ex-wife. How was he gonna explain this to them? What about his mom? ' _Yeah mom sorry, I was so distraught over my life going dow the shitter that I knocked a guy up_ '? She'd kill him with a meat cleaver.

Sighing he looked down at the computer.

Positive.

Well, fuck.

He buzzed through to Janice on reception to let Jim back in. He worked through what he was going to say in his head. He was a Southern gentleman through and through, born and raised, and he wasn't about to let Jim do this on his own.

He'd tell him how he wanted him to move in with him, or for him to move in with Jim, or whatever was easier. So that was there all of the time, like he should be. He'd make sure he got the best damn physician in the whole hospital, and then he'd take him to every scan they needed to go to, to every doctor's appointment. He'd be there at the birth. He'd be there at the end. He was going to be there.

That is, if Jim wanted him there.

And if Jim wanted the _baby_ there.

Leonard sat down in his chair, a little dumbfounded at that thought, as Jim entered the room again. This time, he didn't knock.

"Well?" Jim asked.

Leonard looked up at him, and caught his gaze. It'd been that gaze that'd gotten him into this mess in the first place. He didn't look away, though.

"It was positive. And if you're sure about your history, then we know who the father is." he tried to say it as if it were no big deal. _Father_. Jim looked a little pale. "Do you have any idea what you want to do?"

Jim blinked. "What d'you mean?"

"Do you want to keep it, or would you rather speak to one of the doctors from our abortion cli-"

"No." Jim shook his head. "No, I want to keep it."

~*~

Jim Kirk had never been one for giving up. There was no such thing as a no-win scenario. This pregnancy was the same. He was going to go through with it because quitting was not in Jim's vocabulary, not anymore. Maybe five or so years ago, he'd have said that he'd given up on everything. Life itself. But not now. James Tiberius Kirk was not a quitter.

Bones nodded. "Alright." He said. "So how-"

Jim saw the facade falter. Bones had acted all Big Strong Doctor, but now Jim saw the cracks.

"-how present do you- do you want me to be?"

"As present as you like, I guess." Jim's voice was low, almost a whisper.

Bones kept staring at him. "I'd like to be there. For everything."

Jim gave a small nod. "Then everything it is."

~*~

There was no point moving into Leonard's apartment; it was barely the size of a matchbox, and it was right in the middle of the city. Jim had a nice house, an actual house, on the outskirts of town, quite close to the Bay area. It was quite a nice place.

Leonard, being a doctor, was worrying non-stop about Jim - and his baby's - health. So whilst Jim sat tucking into what Leonard was sure was his fifth tub of Ben and Jerry's today, Leonard stood in front of the TV with his arms crossed.

"You make a better door than a window." Jim commented.

Leonard scowled.

"Jim, we need to talk about your diet."

"What?" Jim asked around the spon his moth. "Whadda you mean?"

"I mean you're supposed to gain the 20 pounds _after_ 20 weeks, not before." Leonard said pointedly, raising his eyebrows at Jim as he moved out of the way of the TV. He had to go to work anyway.

"Jesus," Jim muttered under his breath. "Are you always gonna be this judgemental?"

"Only when it comes to my baby's health." He grumbled.

" _Our_ baby!" Jim yelled after him as he left the house.

~*~

"Alright Jim, have you got everything you need?"

Jim nodded, handing over the collection of files and samples he'd been asked to bring to the scan. It was also his first check up for the second month, so he had a lot of things to catch up on.

"Excellent."

Christine smiled, and her ice blue eyes flicked over to Bones, who pressed his lips into a thin line. There was some silent communication going on here that Jim felt left out of, and he didn't like it.

"Can we just get on with it?" Jim asked. "I have a tub of ice cream at home for me, and I'd hate to keep it waiting."

Christine chuckled. "Of course - go sit yourself down on the bed. Are you staying, Leonard?"

"'Course I am." He grumbled, following Jim over to the bed.

Jim knew there wasn't going to be a lot to see; Bones had told him that much. The baby was only the size of a kidney bean, and this was only a dating scan. Sighing, Jim settled himself on the bed, and pulled his shirt up.

Christine raised an eyebrow at the muscle skin of his stomach, before looking at Bones with a smirk. Bones glared at her, and Christine smiled politely at Jim. "You best say goodbye to those muscles."

Jim shrugged, giving a soft smile. "I don't mind."

" _You_ won't." She looked at Bones, and smirked as she spread gel onto the probe. "This'll be cold." She said, before flicking the machine on and pressing it to Jim's stomach.

It took a little while, but they found it. A little peanut shaped blob, so small and so tiny. He was sure he could see little eyes, and tiny, podgy little fins that would soon become fingers.

"Woah." He muttered.

He looked up at Bones to see his face, but Jim couldn't recognise his expression. He'd later, much later, learn that it was awe.

Christine pressed a button, and the ultrasound began to print.

"I'll get this analysed and get straight back to you. In the meantime, Leonard, if you'd like to clean Jim up, that'd be wonderful." Christine smiled before she left the room.

Jim raised an eyebrow when she was gone.

"What was all that about?" He asked.

Bones rolled his eyes. "Chritine's a smug bitch."

"So why don't we change nurses or something?" Jim asked. He wasn't sure he could put up with scowly-Bones all the time.

Bones shook his head. "She's the best of the best. As smug as she is."

Jim just smiled as Leonard wiped his stomach clean of gel.

~*~

Leonard got in from the hospital and assumed Jim would be in his usual position in front of the TV. So when he came in and found him not there, he had to admit, he panicked a little.

"Jim?" He called.

Silence.

"Jim!" He yelled a little louder.

He heard what sounded like a groan not too far off - from the bathroom, maybe.

Leonard has never launched himself upstairs so quickly.

He burst into the bathroom to find Jim with his head resting on the toilet seat, and his body curled into a near fetal position. Leonard raised his eyebrows.

"Go away." Jim groaned. "Don't look at me, Bones-"

"Jim," Leonard said, his voice soft. "You told me you didn't get sick."

He lowered himself to the floor next to Jim, and placed a steady hand on his shoulder. It was the first real contact they'd had since, well, _that_ night. He rubbed circles into Jim's back as he dry-retched into the toilet. Jim had assured him that morning sickness was not something he suffered from, and so he needn't worry. But seeing as Leonard was home early from work, it was apparent that Jim's morning sickness coincided fabulously with Leonard's shifts, meaning Leonard never saw it.

"I might've lied." Jim murmured, his voice hoarse.

Leonard sighed. "You're gonna be seeing a lot of me, Jim." He said. "You better get used to not lying to me."

Jim opened his mouth to say something, but instead turned to the toilet bowl again.

"I'll get you some water," Leonard said as he stepped away, trailing his hand along Jim's back, until not even his fingertips could reach him anymore.

~*~

Jim was starting to show, and he was actually really liking it. He lay in bed, his head propped up on a pile of pillows as he peered down at the tiny bump he could see. If he let the sheets fall down he could almost lose sight of it completely, so he used one hand to hold them aloft.

He heard a grunt by his side, and Jim looked over at Bones.

Bones, good sweet Bones, snuffled as he rolled over.

Jim had asked him to come to bed with him one night when it was cold out and his blankets just didn't seem warm enough. Bones had slept there ever since; Jim decided that it was nice to have a side of the bed that belonged strictly to him.

Jim watched him sleeping for a while, the soft rise-fall of his chest. His hair always looked so cute first thing on a morning.

Jim thought that maybe he could get used to this.

~*~

"Bones Bones Bones!"

Leonard shot out of the living room at break neck speed, scooting along the floor in sock-clad feet to where Jim sat by the fridge. The empty box of grapes sat on the floor, and Jim was holding his stomach with excitement written all over his face.

"What, what's happening, who's hurt?" Leonard asked in a rush.

Jim gestured for him to come forward, and Leonard kneeled down beside him.

Jim took his hands, and placed them gently against his stomach.

"It's kicking." He said, his voice low but still a squeal.

Leonard paused as he felt it, the soft thumping against the very palm of his hand. His eyes widened; he looked down at the bump, and then up at Jim

He saw the tears in Jim's eyes, and he smiled.

And then he tried very hard not to kiss him.

"Unbelievable." he murmured in breathless wonder.

He leaned down, giving it soft whispers as Jim brought his arms around him.

~*~

"Daddy!"

"Hey squirt." Bones grinned.

Jim felt nervous. He was starting to feel nervous a lot these days. Telling Nyota and Spock, telling his mom via email, even just going to the store, wondering what people would tihnk about him.

But Bones' little girl was a whole different kettle of fish.

Bones picked Joanna up, and held her on his hip. "Jo," He said, shifting her attention to Jim. "This is Jim."

"Hello Mr. Jim." She sang, and Jim gave a nervous chuckle.

"Just Jim's fine, Joanna." He smiled.

"Just Jo's fine, Mr. Jim." She returned, giving him a gap-toothed smile.

Jim gave a shaky smile, and Bones put Jo down. "Why don't you go on into the living room? We've got something good to tell ya."

"Alright!" She grinned, skipping off into the front room.

Jim exhaled, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Y'alright?" Bones asked, laying a gentle hand on Jim's upper arm.

"Fine." Jim smiled. He didn't know why Joanna's opinion mattered so much. "I'm fine."

Bones looked at him for a long moment, before he nodded. "C'mon."

Jim sat down in the chair, and Bones pulled Joanna across the sofa and into his lap.

"Now Jo," He said, his voice soft but a little firm. "We've got some really big news for you, so you gotta listen."

Joanna nodded, her expression serious.

She was only seven, but she seemed like such an adult.

"Jo, you're gonna have a new baby brother." Bones said. "Or sister." He added.

Joanna's face was blank. "But mommy's not-"

"No, it's not your mommy's baby." Bones shook his head, and Jim bit his lip. "Me and Jim are having a baby."

Joanna's eyes seemed to find, for the first time, Jim's bulging stomach. She looked up at Bones, blinking a few times. Bones nodded, and she stood up, making her way across the room till she was stood in front of Jim.

"May I?" She asked, Southern accent ringing through the silent room.

Jim blinked. "Sure?"

Joanna grinned, and pressed a kiss to his stomach. Jim, sort of startled, blinked a few times.

"I hope you're a girl." Joanna whispered, as if it was a secret.

Jim leaned forward with newfound courage, his face inches from hers. "Me too." He whispered, sharing a conspiratory grin.

~*~

"Mom, this is Jim."

Eleanora smiled as she nodded politely at Jim. Jim bit his lip, chewing it nervously.

"And we've got some news."

Jim eyes flicked over to him, full of panic.

The plan had been to tell her at the end of dinner, but Leonard couldn't help himself. He wanted it out in the open.

Eleanora raised an eyebrow. It was a hereditry thing.

"Take a seat."

Eleanora sat in the armchair by the window, and Leonard sat down next to Jim on the sofa. He looked at his mom, and he took a deep breath. He'd been careful to hide any and all pointy/sharp objects.

"Mom, Jim and I are having a baby."

He made it sound like they'd planned it, like it was the best news in the whole world. Leonard waited for her response, and found his hand involuntarily slipping into Jim's.

Eleanora looked a little flustered, and then she sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing, Len."

Leonard nodded, and gave Jim a small smile. "We've got it all planned out." He assured her.

She nodded slowly. "Good."

There was a pause, in which silence threatened to crush Leonard. Silence between himself and his mom had never been like this before. He knew she was poised to say something else; he could feel it in the air.

She looked at Jim, training deep brown eyes on him. "Make sure he looks after you, y'hear?"

Jim's lips slipped up into a smile. "I will, ma'am."

"Elle." She corrected.

Jim grinned, and Leonard felt his stomach flip. "Elle." he repeated.

Leonard was just glad he was still in one piece.

~*~

"And how're you feeling, Jim?"

"Good." Jim nodded. "Really good."

Bones smiled, and yet it again it captivated Jim. He could never look away when Bones smiled.

Christine smiled too as she squirted gel across his bulging stomach. Six months saw him remarkeably big. He kept joking it was twins, and Bones kept giving him funny looks every time he did.

"Jesus Christine, it's freezing." Jim hissed.

"Suck it up, Jim." She chuckled. "You've got childbirth yet."

"Yeah, I know."

The thought scared him. Terrified him, in fact. He just hoped Bones would be there to help him through it.

This wasn't their first scan; rather, it was their fourth. A pregnancy like theirs was a lot more high risk than a normal pregnancy, so it was best to keep checking on things. Jim still found himself in awe every single time though. He had practically seen his baby grow, better than most other parents have. He could remember that little blob that had looked like a little peanut. It was strange, now, to see the actual baby inside of him.

"We can probably try again for the sex today."

Jim's head snapped up. The last two times they'd tried, it'd been lying in completely the wrong position. "Acting modest", Bones had joked. Jim had been itching to find out, too.

"Let's see." Jim murmured, and Christine smiled as he pressed the probe to his stomach.

And there it was; their baby. Jim reached out for Bones' hand and clasped it tight, as if it were completely normal. And to be honest, it was becoming completely normal anyway.

It wriggled, and Jim chuckled.

"Has he been very active?" Christine asked.

"He?" Bones head turned so fast Jim worried that he might have whiplash, and Christin gave a rueful smile.

"Sorry." She said. "It."

Bones face fell a little, and Jim squeezed his hand. Christine moved the probe around, and smiled softly.

"Everything seems totally normal." Christine nodded. "And if you want to know the sex, I think we can just about manage."

Jim looked up at Bones. "I want to know." He murmured.

Bones nodded. "Me too."

They both looked to Christine.

"It's a boy." She smiled.

Bones flopped down into the chair next to the bed, and looked at the picture on the screen. "A boy." He repeated.

When he grinned, Jim grinned too.

And then he bit down on his bottom lip, because he couldn't be sure he woudn't kiss Bones otherwise.

"A little baby boy." Jim smiled.

"Our boy." Bones murmured.

Jim felt his heart falter, before picking up a fast, stady rhythm.

~*~

"Bones, this sucks _ass_."

"No Jim, I think that's you."

"Hey!"

Jim scowled at him, but Leonard just chuckled. The cart he was pushing was filled with powder blue paint and a flat-pack white crib, and they were still adding things in here and there. The nursery was directly opposite their room, and Eleanora had sent over a lot of the furniture from Bones' own nursery as a kid, for which Leonard was eternally grateful. His doctor's salaray wasn't as big as it used to be.

Jim picked up a plush blue giraffe with a scowl, and threw it in the cart.

Leonard decided not to argue. He'd just let Jim have what he wanted. He was only annoyed because he'd hit the seven month mark and now he waddled more than he walked, and he'd had to buy a whole new wardrobe (he'd worn his own clothes as long as he could, but then his favourite t-shirt had actually _burst_ at the seams, and that was when Leonard had decided it was time for a shopping trip).

" _Ohmigod Bones_!"

Jim waddled as fast as his swollen feet would carry him to an aisle filled with baby clothes. He picked up a tiny little blue romper suit with a giraffe on the front of it, and squealed some as he put it in the cart.

"What's with the giraffes?" Leonard asked, as he looked at a sailor-themed romper suit. He put it back; too tacky.

Jim shrugged. "They're cute, he's cute, I figure they fit."

Leonard just raised his eyebrows as he followed Jim around the corner into the next aisle.

"Woah."

Everything was star-themed. Star patterned romper suits, star patterned baby grows, star patterned t-shirts: they might as well of been in space.

"Bones I want it all." Jim whispered, as he fondled a little blue knit cardigan that would go perfectly with a little blue-and-white star patterned romper.

Leonard gave a small smile, which only grew into a larger smile when Jim's hand fell to his stomach. He couldn't say no.

"So get it all." He said, nodding to the cart. "Whatever you want, Jim."

Jim turned to look at him with wide eyes. "Really?"

"Really." Leonard nodded.

He grinned, leaned over to press a kiss to Leonard's cheek, and called, "Thanks Bones!" over his shoulder as he went about collecting his baby clothes.

~*~

"Y'know, I had never seen cankles until I _had_ them."

Bones rolled his eyes, and Jim pouted. He was serious; his ankles were so swollen they simply blended into his already swollen feet. He had never appreciated his ankes until they were gone; he'd make sure to worship them when they were back.

"It's just water retention, Jim." Bones said softly as he rubbed Jim's feet for him. "It'll go away as soon as George's born."

"David." Jim corrected.

"George." Bones argued.

Jim narrowed his eyes. "David." He hissed.

Bones scowled a little. "Whatever."

Jim smiled slyly; he'd won that one.

"You're sure?" He asked, back to the subject of his chubby ankles.

"Positive." Bones nodded.

Jim huffed, and let his hand circle the stretched skin of his stomach.

"You better hurry up little guy," He hummed. "Daddy wants his ankles back."

Jim was looking at his stomach, but he could've swore he heard Bones laugh.

~*~

Leonard packed the baby bag as Jim lay on the bed, curled around his stomach as best as he could. He breathed deeply in and out, and then his face contorted in pain. Leonard babbled as he packed the bag that should've been ready by now.

"Why the hell didn't we do this before? We've had everything ready for god damn weeks we could've had all this done this is ridiuclous I swear to Christ Jim we gotta get more orgnised are you alright what's happening what's going on?"

He barely paused for breath. Jim groaned, and that was what caught him.

"Five minutes apart." Jim said, when the pain ended and his stomach stopped spasming.

Leonard zipped up the bag, and threw it over his shoulder. He went to the side of the bed, and pressed his forehead to Jim's.

"It hurts." Jim whined.

Leonard gave a small, sad smile. "I know darlin'," he murmured, the pet name falling off his tongue. "But it'll be worth it."

Jim gave another low whine, and Leonard shushed him with a half-cautious kiss to his forehead.

"Let's go get little George outta there." He said softly.

"David." Jim corrected.

Bones rolled his eyes. "Fine, David."

Jim whooped, but it was cut off by a groan as a contraction hit yet again.

"Hospital. Now." Bones ordered, as soon as Jim was well enough to stand.


End file.
